Your Earwax Can Tell How Healthy You Are. What Color Is Yours?

Like in the case of most bodily fluids, earwax is hardly ever a topic of casual conversation. But the fact is, this sticky material is in fact very important for our bodies and can inform us a lot about our health. It sounds like a repulsive idea at first, but the next time you clean your ears you must take a close look at what comes out.

The thing that a lot of people don’t know is that earwax is not just some kind of filthy buildup in our ears. It’s in fact created by our bodies to put off bacteria and dirt from entering the ear canal. So this sticky substance, in fact, keeps our ears healthy, clean and functional. The ear wax is a combination of long-chain fatty acids, squalene, and alcohol.

However, despite how significant this substance is, no one desires to see it dripping out of someone’s ear. So when you see that there’s a bit too much of it in your ear, you just take a damp cloth and wash it out. If you decide to use a cotton swab, be certain not to put it in your ear canal or you have a risk of damaging your eardrum.

This is the most ordinary type of wax for adults. The sticky and wet texture helps to keep the ear canal from drying out and becoming itchy.

2. Gray

Gray earwax might look strange, but if you see it on your cotton swab, you don’t have to worry. The gray color is typically just the result of the ear’s normal cleaning process. But if the wax is dry and brittle and your ear is itchy, it might be a sign of eczema. If you become aware of these symptoms, it’s best to have it checked by a doctor.

3. Pale yellow

This is the usual color kids. Children have a tendency to produce a lot more earwax than adults. As they get older this production slowly decreases.

4. Sticky and dark

Earwax that is darker than usual points toward that the body is sweating more than usual. The darker the color, the higher the chance that this extra sweat will lead to body odor. In spite of that, it’s still totally healthy.

5. Dark and thick

Stress and anxiety can be the reason for our bodies to produce more earwax. Heavy sweating can, in addition, lead to a rise in earwax, which can block the ear canal and cause momentary hearing impairment. If you become aware of that your earwax is dark and thick, you must clean your ears on a regular basis to stay away from any problems. It’s, in addition, a good sign that you might want to discover ways of reducing the stress in your life.

6. Dry, white and flaky

This is a completely normal and healthy type of earwax. People who create this kind of wax most often have less body odor than people who produce dark ear wax.

7. Black or dark brown

A dark brown or even black can look very scary. But the great news is, there is no need to worry. The dark color may just be the result of an overproduction of wax (like when we’re stressed). It can, in addition, mean that the wax has just been in the ear longer. When it’s removed, the enlarged contact with oxygen turns it a darker color.

8. Wet and runny

It’s usual for earwax to come out of our ears occasionally — it’s just a fraction of the natural cleaning process. But when wax pours out of your ears in great amounts and contains pus or blood, it’s a certain sign of a perforated eardrum. In this situation, seek immediate medical attention.

9. Bloody wax

Old earwax can from time to time look like dried blood. If you observe this, get medical attention — it could mean that you have a perforated eardrum.

As you can see, earwax has a vast array of colors and most of them are totally healthy even if they don’t look it. So the next time you are cleaning your ears, take a close look at that dirty cotton swab. It might make you cringe, but it’s, in addition, a great way to recognize a problem and deal with it before it gets serious!